


rumours

by nowrunalong



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F, Road Trips, Skinny Dipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-30 02:03:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10866717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowrunalong/pseuds/nowrunalong
Summary: Years after the events ofChosen, Faith takes Buffy on a much-deserved holiday.





	rumours

**Author's Note:**

> this fic incorporates the following prompts from tumblr:
> 
> 1) a buffy/faith vacation for @buffylovesfaith  
> 2) skinny dipping for @anyasbunny  
> 3) faith confronting buffy about satsu for @seekingoutfriday, and  
> 4) the words _wet_ , _euripides_ , and _~~bolls~~_ for @spikesjojo. (failed on this one, oops.)

The rental car had never seen a driver like Faith before, roaring down the back roads at unacceptable speeds, Buffy gripping the door handle for dear life. She can feel the bass vibrating through her body as the music blasts from the dashboard radio, so loud she has to yell to be heard.

“Can I turn it down a little?”

“Don’t be a bore, B,” Faith yells back, halting her sing-along to answer. She’s grinning, gleeful. “C’mon. It’s fun. It’s like bein’ a rockstar for a day.”

“A rockstar with an audience of one, desperately hoping the police don’t turn up.”

Faith shrugs. “We’re on vacation, B. Live a little!”

“Well, I-I don’t really know the words.”

“Why would you need to?” Faith asks. “ _’Cause I’m T.N.T._ ,” she shouts, along with the radio. “ _I’m dynamite. T.N.T.—AND I’LL WIN THE FIGHT! T.N.T._ — ”

“—I’m a power load,” Buffy mumbles. “T.N.T…”

Faith shoots her a grin and elbows her in the side. “ _WATCH ME EXPLOOOODE!_ ”

“You’re embarrassing,” Buffy decides. “That’s what you are.”

“Please. You’re the one who wanted to listen to _Taylor Swift._ ”

“What’s wrong with Taylor Swift? At least her lyrics are relatable! Relatable lyrics make for the best singing-along. Plus—pretty!”

Faith slows the vehicle as they pass a Welcome to Our Town sign. Buffy doesn’t catch the name, but the population is tiny. One of those everyone-knows-everyone places.

“Let’s grab dinner here,” Faith decides. “You think they have a motel?”

“I thought we were going on _vacation_.”

“This is a vacation. Have you had to kill any demons today? Uh—don’t answer that, okay? Point is, we’re gettin’ away from it all.”

“I kinda thought we’d be doing that at a five star hotel in Mexico,” Buffy says. At Faith’s hurt expression, she adds, “but this is fine. Great, even! It’s nice just spending time with you.” 

“I aim to entertain,” Faith says wryly. She pulls into the tiny parking lot in front of the town’s family diner. The music shuts off, and suddenly it’s very, very quiet.

“I mean it, Faith,” Buffy says to the silence. “I really appreciate this.”

“Sure, B,” Faith shrugs. “You deserve a break.”

—

“I was talking to Spike,” Faith says over dinner. “He told me some interesting things he’d heard about you.”

“God, he needs to _not_ say words.”

“I dunno. This was pretty interesting.”

“What?” Buffy asks. “What are you talking about?”

“You slept with a _girl_ , B? Thought you didn’t swing that way.”

“How did he— _Xander_ ,” Buffy says, incensed. “Has he told _everyone_?” She stops, fork halfway to her mouth, when she sees Faith’s face. It’s similar to the hurt expression she’d worn in the car, but _more_.

More intense.

Faith shakes her head with a laugh, trying to clear it, but it had been there, clear as day.

Words spoken years ago. _I just don’t see you like that. I’m sorry._

Buffy had slept with a girl, and it hadn’t been Faith.

“So it’s true,” Faith says. “I wasn’t sure I believed it.”

“Yeah,” Buffy says reluctantly.

“Another Slayer?”

Buffy nods.

“So. What’s her name? You two still, uh…?” Faith makes a crude hand gesture, and Buffy rolls her eyes.

“Satsu,” Buffy says, “and no. It was just the once. Well, twice, actually. I told her that seeing me would be a bad idea, and she agreed. So she left.”

“Gee, I’m sorry,” Faith says, not sounding sorry at all.

“What’s your deal?” Buffy snaps. “I don’t owe you or anyone this information. You can’t get mad at me for taking my time… realizing stuff.”

“I can’t?” Faith says, snapping right back. And then she freezes. “Realizing what stuff?”

Buffy shrugs, evasive. “You know. Liking girls.”

“Liking girls, huh? Satsu wasn’t just an experimental phase?”

“I _liked_ Satsu,” Buffy says impatiently. “She was stubborn, she was hot, she had amazing hair, and she liked me, too. Why does _everyone_ keep saying that I used her? Is this some kind of conspiracy? ‘Confuse Buffy?’”

“I wasn’t saying anything, B. Just asking.”

“Right. That’s why you sounded so… accuse-y.”

Faith shrugs. “Just doesn’t fit with what I know about you.”

“People change. They grow a-and they learn. Stuff. About themselves.”

“So. You learned… that you liked _Satsu_.”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” Faith says. She shrugs again and resumes eating, tearing into her chicken like she hadn’t just been grilling Buffy about her… preferences, unprompted.

“Okay? That’s all you’re gonna say? You’re not gonna go, ‘ooh, Buffy, what have you done? You must be so confused?’”

“D’you want me to?”

“God, no.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Good?”

“Yeah.”

—

“You’re a dummy,” Buffy says, stopping in front of the passenger door without opening it. “And you’re weird. And you’re… ridiculous.”

Faith frowns. “What are you talking about, B?”

“You! You act like… like the Satsu thing is bad news! For you! But it’s not like I’ve seen you in years. You were in England! How was I supposed to—?” Buffy pauses, unsure how to phrase her thoughts.

“How were you supposed to… what?”

“How was I supposed to realize how I felt about you without you around to make me realize it?!”

“I _think_ I followed that.”

“I hope you did,” Buffy says. “’Cause I don’t really wanna say it again. I already forgot what I said.” She frowns. “What did I say?”

“That me bein’ around,” Faith says, taking a step closer, “made you realize how you feel. About me.”

“Right,” Buffy says, as Faith presses her against the side of the car. “That was pretty much it.”

“Am I missing anything?” Faith asks.

“Don’t think so.”

“Okay,” Faith says, and kisses her.

—

There’s a beach down the street from the diner.

Faith’s words echo in Buffy’s head. _Live a little._

“Let’s go for a swim,” she suggests, as they break apart. Faith’s hands, which had been slowly pushing Buffy’s shirt up, pause, fingers on her waist.

“I’m not digging out the bathing suits,” Faith says slowly.

“Not asking you to.”

Faith grins widely. “Damn, B. I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

—

They leave their clothes on the rocks. It’s late, so Buffy doubts anyone will be along to grab them.

The evening air is chilly, but the shallow water is still warm from the sun beaming down all day. Buffy undresses as quickly as possible and runs to the water, her arms crossed over her chest as she turns around to face Faith, waist-deep.

“Knew you’d get all dainty,” Faith says, undoing the clasp of her bra and tossing it on top of Buffy’s pile. She doesn’t bother to cross her arms. Doesn’t bother to hide the way she’s looking at Buffy. Doesn’t bother to hide that she likes to be watched, swinging her arms as she runs out to join Buffy metres out, splashing all the way.

Reaching her, Faith places her hands on Buffy’s shoulders and leans in to kiss her, again and again, her wet hair plastered over her chest and back.

“You’re getting my face wet.”

“You’re in the water, B. You’re gonna be _all_ wet, soon.”

“Was that an innuendo?” Buffy asks, frowning.

“You tell me,” Faith says, and—laughing like a madwoman—pulls Buffy under the water with her so that they’re completely submerged.

“There,” she says, when they re-emerge. “All wet.”

“I’ll get you for that.”

“Yeah?”

With a grin, Buffy lunges.

—

Just like the town has one diner and one bar, it has one motel. Or an inn. A B&B? What do you call it when there are only three guest rooms? Whatever it is, Buffy and Faith book the last free room for the night and crash down onto the bed, still with wet hair.

“We’re gonna make the pillows all icky,” Buffy says, only mildly concerned. “I hate wet pillows.”

Faith shrugs. “We can put towels over ‘em. I don’t feel like sleeping right now, anyway.”

“Me neither.”

“Did you have… uh. Ideas?” Faith asks, trailing her fingers up Buffy’s leg.

“Can we talk?” Buffy asks.

“You want to _talk_?”

“Yeah-huh.”

“We’ve been talking all day, B.”

“Yeah. ‘Cause of you being away for so long. I want to know what you’ve been doing! It’s not like we’ve really kept in touch. We’ve both been through so much since Sunnydale got all blown up.”

“Yeah,” Faith agrees, rolling onto her back. “Well. Angel’s doing alright, since you didn’t ask about him.”

“Right.” Buffy looks over at her. “What’s ‘alright’ mean?”

“I mean, he’s still brooding and reading too much. Real old stuff. Deep. Euri…” Faith frowns. “Euripides? Plato. Those old Greek dudes. Tried to get me into ‘em. Didn’t work.”

“But you remember the names.”

“Guess I do.”

“What else? Has there been anyone…?”

“Anyone else? Is this why you wanted to talk?”

Buffy shrugs as best she can, lying on her side. “I’m curious. I mean—you asked about my life. And that was because of _rumours_ you’d heard from a pain-in-the-ass vampire. At least I’m asking to hear it from you.”

“No one,” Faith says, looking up at the ceiling. “There’s never been anyone else. That what you wanted to hear?”

“I’m sorry,” Buffy says.

“For what?”

“Not realizing sooner. Then you wouldn’t’ve had to be lonely for so long.”

Faith laughs. “It’s okay, B. I mean—yeah, it would’ve been cool if you had. But I’ve been alright. Worked some things out on my own. And I’ve got Angel on my side, now. The guy makes his mistakes, but he’s been good to me. For me.”

“I’m glad,” Buffy says softly.

“Besides,” Faith adds. “What’s the old saying? ‘Good things come to those who wait?’ Always thought it was bullshit, but it makes sense now. You own up to stuff. You do your time. It gets better. You get the girl.”

“Yeah?”

Faith rolls over to look Buffy in the eye. “You tell me.”

It makes Buffy feel warm, the way Faith looks at her. She wishes she could stay here forever, in her gaze.

“Oh yeah,” she says, leaning in to kiss her. “You _definitely_ got the girl.”


End file.
